Lifeguard

Make a SPLASH at the SJCC!

Love the water? Thrive in an energetic, people-focused environment? Join our Aquatics Team and turn your passion into a job you'll actually be excited to show up for!

As a Lifeguard, you'll be the heartbeat of our pool—creating a safe, welcoming, and fun environment for everyone by enforcing pool protocols, supporting daily operations, and keeping our aquatic spaces running smoothly. As a Swim Instructor, you'll help swimmers of all ages and abilities build confidence in the water through engaging, supportive, and fun lessons that make a real impact.

Why you'll love it here:

• Pay from $18–$26/hour, based on experience
• A supportive, upbeat team culture
• Meaningful work where you keep people safe and smiling
• The chance to build skills, leadership, and community

Position Summary

The Lifeguard is responsible for maintaining a safe, welcoming, and well-supervised aquatic environment for all participants. Lifeguards maintain active surveillance, enforce facility rules and safety protocols, respond to emergencies, support scheduled aquatic programs, assist members and guests, and contribute to the safe and efficient operation of the Aquatics Department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain active and continuous surveillance of assigned areas and remain alert and prepared to recognize and respond immediately to emergencies.
• Enforce pool and facility rules, policies, and safety protocols consistently, professionally, and respectfully. Educate and redirect participants regarding safe and unsafe behaviors.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to aquatic and facility emergencies, including performing water rescues and providing First Aid, CPR/AED, and other emergency care within the scope of current training and certification.
• Follow all Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), emergency procedures, evacuation procedures, and established safety protocols. Know the location and appropriate use of emergency and rescue equipment.
• Complete accident, incident, rescue, chemical reading, patron count, and other required documentation accurately and promptly.
• Communicate clearly, respectfully, and effectively with members, guests, participants, coworkers, supervisors, other departments, and outside partners. Promptly communicate safety concerns, incidents, facility issues, schedule concerns, and other relevant information.
• Provide professional and welcoming customer service by assisting members and guests with pool rules, schedules, programs, and facility procedures and referring concerns to a supervisor when appropriate.
• Support scheduled use of the aquatic facility, including lap swimming, open swim, swim lessons, school and camp programming, and other aquatic activities.
• Assist with safe and efficient transitions between programs and user groups, including preparing aquatic spaces, communicating with incoming and outgoing groups, and maintaining supervision and safety expectations.
• Work collaboratively with Aquatics staff, other departments, school and camp programs, before- and after-school programs, and outside partners to support effective communication, coordinated facility use, and smooth program transitions.
• Monitor the aquatic environment and promptly report hazards, damaged or missing equipment, water-quality concerns, or other unsafe conditions to the appropriate supervisor.
• Complete required pool water-quality checks by testing, reading, documenting, and reporting chemical levels according to established procedures and training. Lifeguards are not responsible for handling, adding, mixing, or adjusting pool chemicals.
• Complete assigned opening, closing, cleaning, equipment, facility upkeep, and other operational responsibilities according to established procedures.
• Complete down duties when not actively assigned to surveillance, including cleaning and organizing aquatic areas, patron counts, pool readings, equipment checks, program preparation, and other assigned tasks. Remain in the designated Aquatics area and available to assist patrons, staff, or respond to an emergency unless otherwise directed by a supervisor.
• Arrive on time, in required uniform, with required equipment, and prepared to assume assigned responsibilities at the scheduled start of the shift.
• Attend and actively participate in required staff meetings, in-service trainings, emergency drills, skills assessments, and continuing education.
• Maintain professional conduct, communication, appearance, and appropriate boundaries with participants, members, guests, coworkers, and partners.
• Assist with shift coverage when available and approved according to department scheduling procedures.
• Work evenings, weekends, holidays, and other shifts as required based on facility and program needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the responsibilities and operational needs of the position.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
• Education/Experience: Swimming experience.
• Training and Certifications:
• Current Lifeguard and First Aid certification or national equivalent, or willing to complete courses by required deadline(s).
• Current CPR/AED Certification (Adult and Pediatric), or willing to complete course by required deadline(s).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to swim 300 yards freestyle, breaststroke, sidestroke or a combination of these strokes without stopping and retrieve a 10-pound brick from the deepest depth of the pool.
• Strong swimming ability and knowledge of aquatic safety and lifeguarding practices.
• Ability to maintain focused and continuous surveillance and recognize signs of distress, unsafe behaviors, hazards, and developing emergencies.
• Demonstrate critical thinking and sound judgment when assessing situations, identifying hazards, determining appropriate responses, and making timely decisions within the scope of training and established procedures.
• Ability to remain calm, focused, and professional during emergencies, conflicts, high-stress situations, and rapidly changing conditions.
• Ability to recognize when additional assistance, activation of the Emergency Action Plan, supervisory support, or Emergency Medical Services is necessary.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with children, adults, members, guests, coworkers, supervisors, other departments, and outside partners.
• Ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals of diverse backgrounds, identities, abilities, ages, and experiences.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team and accept direction, coaching, and feedback.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and provide professional, welcoming customer service while consistently enforcing safety expectations.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, safety procedures, department policies, Emergency Action Plans, and organizational expectations.
• Ability to accurately complete required documentation and communicate safety, facility, equipment, or operational concerns in a timely manner.

Additional Employment Requirements:

• Satisfactorily pass a criminal background check.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The information described below represents the physical activities and surroundings one may encounter when performing the duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands: To perform the job, the employee is frequently required to talk, hear, walk, swim, paddle, and stand. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, climb, balance, kneel, bend, crouch, crawl, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is regularly required to lift, push, and/or pull persons or equipment over 100 pounds. Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Conditions: The work is frequently performed around or in a pool facility, with a moderate noise level. Surfaces are frequently slippery and wet.

SJCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Our vision is to be the Puget Sound's most open and welcoming community-centered Jewish organization. We know that we cannot do this without providing inclusive opportunities for all and celebrating our differences. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.